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Young Drivers Don’t Care About Buying American Cars

In the 1980’s and early 90’s many drivers took part in the “Buy American” movement that was sweeping the nation. In a response to the growing popularity of import cars, many Americans feared that if they didn’t take action and bought domestic vehicles, the market might plummet. While there are still many consumers who are devoted to solely buying American-made cars, trucks, off-road vehicles and other methods of transportation, many of them are getting older and a new generation of drivers are hitting the streets.

Image Courtesy of FDP

The 16-32 age group, also known as the “millennials” have been reported that a large majority don’t share the same “Buy American” mentality that older generations have. A survey released recently by the Automotive Press Association discovered that only 38% of millennials felt it was important to buy a vehicle that was built in the U.S. In comparison, 60% of baby boomers felt it was important to stick to buying American. According to the survey, the millennials think that US automakers don’t necessarily build a less quality product compared to imports, it’s just that they don’t have a desire to have a brand loyalty; they buy what they feel is the best product and will represent their personality the best. In this situation, the product this age group feels is best wins.
When purchasing a car, truck, 4×4, van, etc, millennials aren’t going to listen to what automakers and dealers have to say, they’re going to turn to their peers for guidance. In fact, 48% of this age group surveyed claimed that it’s important for their vehicle to reflect who they are and their personality, as opposed to 34% of baby boomers.

The next question to ask, is how will the millennials feel about the auto service industry? Will their car purchasing decisions also reflect which auto service center to visit, or where they ill buy their auto parts? Many think the two won’t reflect each other but it is a question all auto enthusiasts should ask.